1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medium identification device for identifying the type of a recording medium inserted through an insertion slot, and for connecting the identified recording medium to a corresponding connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known image printing devices include printing devices that print image data by reading image data written in an inserted recording medium. Examples of such recording media include, for instance, miniSD™, SD™, SmartMedia™, Memory Stick™, MMC™, RS-MMC™, xD-Picture Card™, Compact Flash (CF)®, Microdrive (Md)® and the like. ™ stands for a trade mark, and ® stands for a registered trade mark.
Image printing devices have been proposed in which a single device is compatible with these various types of recording media (for instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open Nos. H11-321018, 2005-78192 and 2005-235063).
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. H11-321018 discloses an image printing device in which, in order to identify the type of a memory card as a recording medium, a light source and a optical sensor are arranged between which the memory card is flanked, so that the type of the memory card is identified based on the size of a region shielded by the memory card. A card slot corresponding to the inserted memory card is displaced to be connected with the memory card.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-78192 discloses an image printing device in which, in order to identify the type of a memory card as a recording medium, segmented members are made to slide abutting the memory card, such that the type of the memory card is identified through measurement, by such sliding members, of the depth, width and thickness of the memory card. In addition, the type of the memory card is identified by infrared sensors arranged in a two-dimensional array that measure the depth, width and surface area of the memory card.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-235063 discloses an image printing device in which an image captured by camera is compared with an image prepared beforehand for specifying a type, to identify thereby the type of a memory card as a recording medium, and discloses the features of, after type identification, selecting a corresponding connector by vertically moving the connector, and joining the connector with the memory card through further sliding of the selected connector.
In the ticketing device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-306124 there are arranged a plurality of sensors in a medium feed direction, such that when a reference sensor among the a plurality of sensors detects a medium, the type of the medium is identified on the basis of whether or not the other sensors detect the medium.
In the card discriminator disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. H01-145794, an IC chip portion or IC contacts are detected by an optical sensor in order to discriminate between an IC card and a magnetic card.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. H11-321018 the type of a memory card is identified based on the size of a region blocked by the memory card, and hence no identification is performed between the top/reverse of the memory card and/or between before and after insertion. Hence, the type of the recording medium may not be determined accurately if the recording medium is inserted in an orientation other than a predetermined orientation.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-78192 is problematic in that, during identification of the type of a memory card through measurement, by a sliding member, of the depth, width and thickness of the memory card, defective contact between the member and the memory card may result in misdetection, while identification of the type of the memory card through measurement of the depth, width and surface area of the memory card by way of an infrared sensor requires providing multiple sensors.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-78192, the top/reverse of an inserted memory card is identified by a sensor for top/reverse detection that detects a memory card cut, and in which, when the memory card has no cut, identification of the top/reverse of the memory card is carried out by detecting insertion or non-insertion of the memory card. However, detection of the top/reverse of a memory card using a cut sensor is problematic in that positioning of the memory card to the measurement position must be precise in order to prevent misdetection. Detection and identification of memory card top/reverse on the basis of insertion or non-insertion of the memory card is also problematic in that there is required a separate means for detecting the insertion or non-insertion of the memory card.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-235063 is likewise problematic in that it requires a camera for imaging an image of the recording medium, and requires also preparing beforehand a comparative image for identifying the type of the recording medium. Similarly to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No 2005-78192, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-235063 is problematic also in requiring positioning precision for positioning the recording medium at the measurement position. In addition to moving vertically, the connector must be displaced towards the recording medium to be joined therewith. This results in a complex connector moving mechanism, which is problematic.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-306124 is likewise problematic in that the type of a medium is identified based on the relationship between the array pitch of a plurality of sensors and the length of the medium, and hence similar medium lengths resulting in differences close to the detection precision of the sensors may impair identification precision and/or give rise to erroneous determination, while precluding discrimination between the top/reverse of the medium.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. H01-145794 is problematic in that it allows only identifying whether a card is an IC card or a magnetic card, and cannot deal hence with a wide variety of cards.